Remembering absent friends …

This time two years ago, we were all bad-mouthing the Wally with the Brolly. The memories of Croatia celebrating at the new Wembley (is it still called that?) How Slaven Bilic outfoxed Steve McClaren. How Scott Carson managed to let Niko Kranjcar’s shot squeeze past him…

How times have changed. Now we’re looking forward to the World Cup finals, believing that England have an outside chance of going all the way.

Well, I’d like to point out that the boot is on the other foot now and that it’s Bilic who is looking like a fool. The absence of Croatia together with the Czech Republic at the finals is a major surprise.